My eldest embarked on a six-day tour at Boy Scout Summer Camp this week. He’s eleven, and this is the longest he’s been away from home to date. OK; he’s only about 10 minutes from our house at a real nice BSA facility known as Camp Friedlander. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Scout Leaders from around the country, and hear time and again that Friedlander is a premier destination for Scouts from all over, and then some. If you’re a Scout Leader/Parent from another part of the country (or the world), I’d love to compare notes about local Scouting facilities – especially if you’re anywhere near Cimarron, NM! But…does your Camp have a Blob?

I’m a big fan of the Scouting Program. I like the sense of independence and responsibility that it’s reinforcing in my son. He’s never asked me for help in preparing for a campout, and Summer Camp was no exception. I secretly went through his stuff Sunday morning, right before he left, and found that it was all there, mostly organized. “Mostly” being the key word…he gets that from me…

Even if something was forgotten, though, it’s not a fatal error. I’ve written before about The Patrol Method, and how these young men are learning to hold each other accountable as a rule, and help each other out in a pinch. As a last resort, and I DO mean last resort, either I or (gasp) his mother, could easily run a necessity out there. Heck, I could even do it on my lunch break, since I’m closer to Camp Friedlander at work than I am at home. Hopefully, it won’t come to that. But it’s nice to know that help is so close.